Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on August 16, 2025, 10:23:38 pm
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There are no easy games for us in this division, and the game Tuesday evening against Huddersfield is no exception, it's another game in a short period and we are having to be up for it and ready to go again after a hard game v Wycombe.
Huddersfield themselves will be looking to get back on track after coming unstuck against Blackpool 3-2 and against 10 men from the 36th minute when Ennis of Blackpool was sent off.
All the goals were scored in the first 36 minutes of the game, with Blackpool spending most of the rest of the game defending heroically their lead, perhaps a pointer to how not committing too much forward can frustrate their game plan.
With Alfie May and Lynden Gooch in their ranks ex players of ours and Pearson an ex Huddersfield favourite possibly in our side also a little side interest for the supporters and both sides starting the season well both sides will want to put on a show and it could well be a very good game to watch.
We have shown a capability to rotate the players with very few if any playing every minute of our games, and have done it successfully, so could we make changes from todays game? The season is still young, we are still undefeated, and Huddersfield have signed and added some good players so are an attractive fixture, Are you one of the lucky ones going to the game?
Can we deal with Alfie May who has flourished since leaving us? Can we reach the heights of play we showed at Middlesbrough and in moments against Wycombe especially at the start of the game consistently? if we can we will be a team to be reckoned with come the end of the season.
One point I would like to make and some would disagree and fair does, to me we have looked a far better team in mid field and up front than we have defensively. Our results have been great, but in every game our keepers have had to pull off some magnificent saves when teams have played through us which happens in games, and our keepers have pulled great saves out for us, that will not always happen and is an area we can improve on a lot, just my opinion you are welcome to disagree.
So another busy week, lots to look forward to, lots for us to discuss, things really could not be much better and all the games have been great to watch, a far better standard than last season, and the players have responded well to the higher standard.
Please have your say on the game, any Huddersfield supporters welcome to comment, and a great game to look forward to with what should be a good attendance for a local derby, and to anyone attending the game have a great time.
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To be honest, Brian, I think our problems are more in attack than in defence.
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Yes agreed, I can’t think of too many saves TLT has had to make and we’ve conceded 2 goals in 4 games so defensively we’ve been very strong
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Agreed. We've looked very solid defensively with only 2 goals conceded in 4 games. It's the final ball that's our problem at the moment. We're overhitting or trying to pass through defenders. Some composure and care required and the goals will flow.
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Before Saturday I had this down as a nailed on defeat but 10 man Blackpool who have had an awful start managed to hold on for 60 minutes against them.
Will take a draw now to be honest, Alfie bound to score!
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To be honest, Brian, I think our problems are more in attack than in defence.
Agree with this.
I don’t recognise Selby’s assessment that our weakness is our defence.
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Our biggest problem is our front 3 and finishing. We were very good first half on Saturday until we got the final third. A combination of poor choices and an inability to find the right killer ball was our undoing. We should have put the game to bed and we didn’t and we paid for it. They got stronger and we got weaker - our substitutes having little to no effect.
Wycombe deserved their point, no doubt about that.
My concern for Tuesday is - can we recover to go again? There were one or two suffering at the end of Saturday’s game. Crew had already been replaced, no doubt suffering from his early knock. Bailey was sat on the grass at the final whistle and had been holding the back of his leg earlier in the game?
They’ll want to respond after their defeat, so we’re going to have a tough game.
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The match at Boro showed that we have more than enough good players to allow some of them to play at Huddersfield and not weaken the team.
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Only 5 teams have scored more than one goal more than us in the league. Including the cup we’ve scored 8 goals in 4 games, that’s better than almost everyone, feels a bit like we’re searching for negativities when they’re not there
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As you well know, Dickos, 4 of those 8 were in the one game. Now compare our league results against the top sides in L1.
Stats eh, who’d have ‘em!
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League is the control group for statistical analysis. Aside from it being the most important to us, the sides are by definition grouped by a similar level of ability and given the league will be of equal importance to the other sides we are playing in league games, they will be competing with same consistent level of effort and priority.
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As you well know, Dickos, 4 of those 8 were in the one game. Now compare our league results against the top sides in L1.
Stats eh, who’d have ‘em!
As I mentioned only 5 teams have scored more than one goal more than us in league games, only one team has conceded fewer than us. It’s a great start to the season and people are looking for negative things that don’t exist
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Before Saturday I had this down as a nailed on defeat but 10 man Blackpool who have had an awful start managed to hold on for 60 minutes against them.
Will take a draw now to be honest, Alfie bound to score!
Not sure what happened to them yesterday given the early red card but in their three league games they’ve kept two clean sheets and scored a total of 7 goals. Hope we can learn something from how Blackpool restricted them yesterday as that seems the stand out result from their early league run.
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To be honest, Brian, I think our problems are more in attack than in defence.
Agree with this.
I don’t recognise Selby’s assessment that our weakness is our defence.
I imagine selby will continue to see our defence as a weakness, and McGrath in particular, until Faulkner is a part of it.
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I thought we looked slightly open on our right yesterday Bailey seemed to get dragged out of position a few times particularly with the fresh legged subs on
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Don't think we can get too excited after just three games. But to completely contradict that if we get a result on Tuesday I will be taking it as a strong sign!
Seriously though I feel we're a decent striker short and eventually that will catch up with us and hold us back.
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I also disagree to the defence being our weakness, for me it’s definitely the lone striker.
It has not worked for Hanlan.
Billy took the role at Middlesbrough and he worked very hard, success occurred because we got players forward in numbers into the central area. Good example with Ben close being around the penalty area and Nixon for the last goal.
Billy took the lead again yesterday and again worked hard, but the difference was we didn’t get forward into the central area quick enough.
So for me, yes two sets of players but a noticeable difference in the two games.
I said in another thread about mols being marked wide by 3 defenders, and a lot of time we also had 3 players wide right.
We need to get more players central, this certainly happened a lot more at Middlesbrough.
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We showed last season (before the conversion of Street) that we could do ok without the main striker scoring all the goals, with everyone across the front line chipping in, this season in the higher league we need to be smarter as this may not happen, on the evidence so far we are creating the chances but not taking them, i'd like to see more shots taken from the build-up rather then try the extra pass, its been our downfall so far, if we shoot we may just score.
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Spot on danumdon, we too many passes, also often when we eventually take the shot there’s a crowded penalty which happened again yesterday.
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It annoyed me that their shot for the goal seemed to go through half the team! we need to learn from that.
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To be honest, Brian, I think our problems are more in attack than in defence.
Agree with this.
I don’t recognise Selby’s assessment that our weakness is our defence.
I imagine selby will continue to see our defence as a weakness, and McGrath in particular, until Faulkner is a part of it.
That defensive axe of Selby's must be ground wafer thin by now.
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Can we stop the Selby baiting please. If you don't agree with him, tell us why.
Personally, I don't think there's anything to be too alarmed about defensively. We are playing better teams, who will have spells in games and will create chances, so it's more how we defend as a unit while being careful in possession in the middle third. We got turned over a few times yesterday with a careless pass (one which led to their goal)
So far, with the three teams we've played there's nothing to fear, so we should go into the game believing we can win. I don't know if it's my imagination but Huddesfields pitch seems a bit bigger, which I think will help us to find those spaces from diagonal balls etc to hit them on the break. Again, it will be another measure of how far we've come. So far 7 out of 10, well ok then, 9.
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Selby constantly looking for a chance to make out that McGrath isn't as good as Faulkner has become tiresome, or do you not agree, DBR? What matters is that Grant doesn't agree with Selby and it's Grant's opinion that matters. He hasn't done too bad with his player choices thus far.
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Against Exeter we should have been two down in the first quarter of an hour at least, Exeter missing two very easy chances just playing through us.
The Mansfield game I have seen very little of so will not comment.
The Middlesbrough game they played through us on quite a few occasions, hit the post with a pile driver that cleared the area it was going so hard before we scored a deflection, then our keeper had the game of his career here and was our MOM with a string of great saves, that could have at least levelled the score on another day with the final score to a point masking what the score might have been.
Yesterday our keeper made another great save from a header which was really the only notable save by either goalkeeper in the game.
We can't depend on that continually happening.
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As you well know, Dickos, 4 of those 8 were in the one game. Now compare our league results against the top sides in L1.
Stats eh, who’d have ‘em!
As I mentioned only 5 teams have scored more than one goal more than us in league games, only one team has conceded fewer than us. It’s a great start to the season and people are looking for negative things that don’t exist
Who, for goodness sake, is looking for negatives? 90% of the comments on here are in agreement and all are making positive comments about how we can improve things. And that’s exactly what Grant is trying to do - make us better. No negativity, just a few observations and opinions about what we can do to improve our lot.
If you think we’re already perfect then that’s your prerogative, but don’t interpret someone else’s valid comment as being negative.
Now, please can we have the one remaining loan slot filled with a young lad who’s destined for the top. That would do nicely.
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Against Exeter we should have been two down in the first quarter of an hour at least, Exeter missing two very easy chances just playing through us.
The Mansfield game I have seen very little of so will not comment.
The Middlesbrough game they played through us on quite a few occasions, hit the post with a pile driver that cleared the area it was going so hard before we scored a deflection, then our keeper had the game of his career here and was our MOM with a string of great saves, that could have at least levelled the score on another day with the final score to a point masking what the score might have been.
Yesterday our keeper made another great save from a header which was really the only notable save by either goalkeeper in the game.
We can't depend on that continually happening.
Wow! Nothing like trying to put a massive dampner on our decent start! So sorry we're doing quite well at the moment.
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We should have put Saturday’s game to bed by half time, but we didn’t. The EFL is full to the brim with teams who cudda and shudda.
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Against Exeter we should have been two down in the first quarter of an hour at least, Exeter missing two very easy chances just playing through us.
The Mansfield game I have seen very little of so will not comment.
The Middlesbrough game they played through us on quite a few occasions, hit the post with a pile driver that cleared the area it was going so hard before we scored a deflection, then our keeper had the game of his career here and was our MOM with a string of great saves, that could have at least levelled the score on another day with the final score to a point masking what the score might have been.
Yesterday our keeper made another great save from a header which was really the only notable save by either goalkeeper in the game.
We can't depend on that continually happening.
Since you can't comment on the Mansfield game, Brian, I'll do it for you. TLT never even got his shorts dirty. The only thing he had to do in the game was to pick the ball out of the net after a one off wonder shot.
Our defence was totally in control of their forwards throughout the game. We've a lot more problems up front.
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I am not trying to put a dampener on anything, nor am I saying we are particularly weak in any part of the team, I am commenting on games as I see them on a football discussion thread.
Football is a game at professional level of fine margins and as stated by others we have scored enough goals to be successful in games , and even better the goals are not dependant on just one striker in form and going forward we have looked dangerous even when we have not scored making teams make mistakes in every game and scramble to keep us out with midfielders also getting up there in the box in the last few games.
Not to recognise the things we have not done that well which is not a lot, but we have got away with a few things, and we can be better.
If you don't think we could have done better with the Wycombe goal which I am sure Grant will have been disappointed with fair enough that's your opinion your entitled to, but saying why you disagree is the point of the discussion thread, and I am open to being convinced by a reasonable argument.
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My biggest fear for the game at Huddersfield is Bailey our talisman not being fit to play.
He looked like he was carrying a knock at the end of the game Saturday, hopefully if he was he is ok for Tuesday.
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Against Exeter we should have been two down in the first quarter of an hour at least, Exeter missing two very easy chances just playing through us.
The Mansfield game I have seen very little of so will not comment.
The Middlesbrough game they played through us on quite a few occasions, hit the post with a pile driver that cleared the area it was going so hard before we scored a deflection, then our keeper had the game of his career here and was our MOM with a string of great saves, that could have at least levelled the score on another day with the final score to a point masking what the score might have been.
Yesterday our keeper made another great save from a header which was really the only notable save by either goalkeeper in the game.
We can't depend on that continually happening.
Since you can't comment on the Mansfield game, Brian, I'll do it for you. TLT never even got his shorts dirty. The only thing he had to do in the game was to pick the ball out of the net after a one off wonder shot.
Our defence was totally in control of their forwards throughout the game. We've a lot more problems up front.
I think you've forgotten his strong one hand save in the 2nd half when he came out at the feet of the attacker.
But as you say his other main action was picking the ball out of the net
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Against Exeter we should have been two down in the first quarter of an hour at least, Exeter missing two very easy chances just playing through us.
The Mansfield game I have seen very little of so will not comment.
The Middlesbrough game they played through us on quite a few occasions, hit the post with a pile driver that cleared the area it was going so hard before we scored a deflection, then our keeper had the game of his career here and was our MOM with a string of great saves, that could have at least levelled the score on another day with the final score to a point masking what the score might have been.
Yesterday our keeper made another great save from a header which was really the only notable save by either goalkeeper in the game.
We can't depend on that continually happening.
In football teams will always get chances you can’t say we’ve been poor because the opposition had a couple of great chances. In every game this season teams will create chances against us that’s just what happens.
We’ve only conceded 2 goals in 4 games against 4 sides that are a step up from last season, so to criticise the defence after that start is baffling to me.
Also if a team is playing through us that’s rarely down to the defence, but rather a problem in midfield
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Pick the 11 which started at Boro.?
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We have the possibility of Kane, May and Gooch playing against us Tuesday...
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Will Pearson feature against his old club.... I would have thought he would be chomping to play.
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Huddersfield away will be one of the toughest games of the season.
If we play decent but still lose I don’t think that warrants a big post-mortem.
People’s expectations are up from 18 months of being a dominant force.
Mid-table is still the most likely scenario here, which will involve falling short in games like this. And that’s fine.
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Pick the 11 which started at Boro.?
we could do worse.
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DFPs predicted starting XI. Do you agree ?
Our predicted XI vs Huddersfield: Lo-Tutala, Bailey, Pearson, McGrath, Senior, Crew, Broadbent, Gotts, Molyneux, Sharp, Gibson.
If anything, I'd go with Nixon at full back and restore Bailey to the midfield instead of Gotts, but I'd rather keep O'Riordon in at the moment.
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If Pearson plays it will be McGrath that will be dropped. I’d agree on Nixon playing and moving Bailey into Midfield.
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Bailey in midfield for a few and Nixon fullback imo. Crew would be quality to come on after and hour against tired legs. Bailey needs to be the one getting into the box from midfield he’s our biggest threat in the air
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O'Riordon looked our best defender by far, can't drop him. I'd bring Pearson back in as well, I rate McGrath but he looks slightly heavy / not fully fit and he's a booking waiting to happen with that missing half a yard - he'll be back though. I'd like to see more of Ajayi, he looked great at Boro, and controversially our worst performer over the last couple has probably been Mols - maybe a rest for him to give Gibson, Middleton and Ajayi time to shine.
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Ajayi very talented but his cameo on Saturday wasn’t good enough to get him into the XI. Think we’ve got a bit yet of him being an impact player.
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We are likely to be playing the game more in our own half than the games we have already played and will need our best defenders to play.
We can however go there with confidence in our own game, and are capable of changing the line up and tactics to suit the game being played within the squad, a big test but we can make our mark in this game.
If we stamp our game on Huddersfield and play well we will take some stopping even by the best sides in this division and should not in any way be inhibited by whoever we play.
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You can't leave Luke out. No matter how he's playing, he's capable of winning a game in a heartbeat.
He's just got that ability to do something special out of the blue.
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Mols wasn’t crap on Saturday, just marked out of the game..
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Mols has to play.
I find it odd that he gets so much stick.
A bloke near us in the south stand constantly bangs on about getting him off the pitch.
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He's a great outlet too, the best we have at getting onto long balls.
Him & Gibbo/Middleton to start for me, Ajayi more of an impact sub either wide or number 10 atm. Great problems to have.
I'd probably start Pearson & O'Riordan too, but Grant will know how fit Jay is.
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I am not so sure Mols has been marked out of any game so far, he's just not hit his form yet, but the lad is an out and out grafter, he can be relied upon to defend as well as attack, and I think that is the reason he is kept on the pitch more than Gibson. Gibson is great at going forward but not so great when its backs to the wall.
He will find his form eventually.
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Sbarra starts tonight.
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Mols as a wide player works as hard off the ball as any other I have seen at any level.
Full backs and midfielders must be as happy as Larry with him playing in front of them, he gives them an option when they have the ball, and does his share of the dirty work winning the ball when the opposition has it.
All our wide men have to do those things as well as be part of the attack which is vital to the system we play normally, and they have done it well as the success the club have had the last twelve months show.
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Pearson not playing is weird. He’s been solid.
McGrath back from injury after a few last year and has started 2 games on the bounce.
And we’ll probably be defending our box more here!
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Sbarra starts tonight.
f**king unbelievable isn’t it?
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They are starting May as a centre forward. All our defenders should be ok defending the box against him so it’s about whose feet are quickest in the quick interchanges.
I don’t think Pearson ever did anything wrong and GM probably planned on McGarth and him been 1st choice. O’Riordan has put paid to that.
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Sbarra starts tonight.
Another weird decision.
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Got to agree, I don’t understand this team, Grant has got it about right so far though, so fingers crossed.
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Might have been a surprise start for Sbarra at Boro last week, but as he helped the team to 4-0, why should it be a weird decision?
In Grant we trust.
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We have the possibility of Kane, May and Gooch playing against us Tuesday...
All three start.
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S'Barra you meen Sparra :-]]
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What a first half! We just can’t score.
We just have to get a decent goal scorer.
Come on, GM, you know it makes sense!
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Pleased with the performance, shake about the result, they were lucky, should have took our chances, worried we can’t find a consistent starting line up, too much quality and competition might be our weakness, defiantly missing that street hold up play, onwards we go.
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Is McCann has sending a message to his board that Billy Sharp is our only choice . It’s back to getting a loan striker and they are not hanging about waiting for us to come knocking .
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Is McCann has sending a message to his board that Billy Sharp is our only choice . It’s back to getting a loan striker and they are not hanging about waiting for us to come knocking .
Strange message to send after signing Hanlan.
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The result flattered them. Lots to be positive about. On another day as they say.
It's not just the striker responsible for putting away chances so let's not be naive enough to think it would.
We created plenty of opportunities so there's no point getting too down about it. We're still in a League One learning curve and tonight shows again there's nothing to fear.
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Is McCann has sending a message to his board that Billy Sharp is our only choice . It’s back to getting a loan striker and they are not hanging about waiting for us to come knocking .
Strange message to send after signing Hanlan.
He does have a bit of history with signings/new contracts to players who go out of favour very quickly after.
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Substitutions lost us that game. Ajayi maybe a bit nieve positionally and we got exposed down that side as soon as he came on and both goals came from that side. Think grant thought we had control of the game and wanted to go on and win it when maybe away from home against a good team (although they hadn't shown it up to then) we should have looked to play for the draw.
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Def need a striker. Strange sub decisions tonight as everything coming from wings.
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Their better players ground it out in the second half. We were the better team first half but didn’t take the couple of good chances that were presented. Their centre halves were colossal.
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At least we didn’t spend £1m+ on Alfie May. Did he actually touch the ball?
Great performance from Rovers.
The Huddersfield subs injected extra life into them, just as they did for Wycombe.
That’s the depth in League 1.
But we competed so well to the extent I’d have disappointed with a draw.
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Their better players ground it out in the second half. We were the better team first half but didn’t take the couple of good chances that were presented. Their centre halves were colossal.
I agree totally with that, to have a chance of winning that game we needed to take at least 1 of our first half chances. Their 1st goal showed the quality they have. Only other thing is that Grants subs gave them the upper hand.
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Harness was the catalyst for them, he was a cut above everone on the pitch.
Made their goal and the ref made their second.
We were the better team for most of the game so nothing to get our knickers in s twist about.
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The radio Leeds commentator was very complimentary about us. Said we looked well run and fit side, he thinks we could be there or there abouts
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Harness was the catalyst for them, he was a cut above everone on the pitch.
Made their goal and the ref made their second.
We were the better team for most of the game so nothing to get our knickers in s twist about.
Harness, Wiles, Kane are all high quality players at this level & their obvious quality won it for them in the end. We gave a very good account of ourselves & performances like that should have us very safe this season & flirting with the play offs!
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Again we played really well for a large part of the game, but couldn’t take advantage of some really good chances.
Early days but seems like some players are struggling to make any impact, Hanlan, Ajayi and Sabarra seem to struggle at this level.
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Decent performance tonight, shame about the result but we go again Saturday against a team who hasn’t won yet!
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Substitutions lost us that game. Ajayi maybe a bit nieve positionally and we got exposed down that side as soon as he came on and both goals came from that side. Think grant thought we had control of the game and wanted to go on and win it when maybe away from home against a good team (although they hadn't shown it up to then) we should have looked to play for the draw.
I dont think it is in Mc Cann's DNA to play for a draw, he will always roll the dice for a win, if it only works 50% of the time we still finish up with more points.
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Can’t argue with that. Don’t take your chances in the first half and 9 times out of 10 you’ll get your arse chomped. Harness was class. Really nice footballer to watch.
Onto Saturday. Good effort from all those who went.
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Their better players ground it out in the second half. We were the better team first half but didn’t take the couple of good chances that were presented. Their centre halves were colossal.
It was more than a couple of good chances,
5 proper excellent chances we missed in the first half and at least one excellent chance in the second
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Again we played really well for a large part of the game, but couldn’t take advantage of some really good chances.
Early days but seems like some players are struggling to make any impact, Hanlan, Ajayi and Sabarra seem to struggle at this level.
Unfortunately as much as I love Sbarra',s endeavour & professionalism he's just not good enough squandered a guilt edge chance, we need better.
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Couldn’t really tell from the away end , but after watching the highlights that is never a penalty in a million years.
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Couldn’t really tell from the away end , but after watching the highlights that is never a penalty in a million years.
They got out of jail with 2 terrible bits of officiating by the looks of it. Welcome to league 1, we can bemoan but if we knew how to put the ball in the back of the net we'd be flying in this division.
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Couldn’t really tell from the away end , but after watching the highlights that is never a penalty in a million years.
Sorry but when O'Riordon grabs his shirt then we can't complain. Had he just tried to hold him off then we might have got away with it. There was no need really to grab his shirt and keep hold of it.
I'm surprised nobody has questioned TLT being done near post. He definitely though he could have done better judging by his reaction, although the source of the opportunity came from us napping for a split second.
Just shows there are very fine lines between winning and losing. Two poorer strikes found the back of the net v Boro whereas tonight, their defenders and keeper somehow managed to get vital blocks in.
Without changing anything, without needing to buy another player as soon as a goal isn't scored, or one conceded, we could have easily won that two nil, and nobody would have said it was unfair.
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I take it you’ve not seen the video, DBR?
He never held his shirt - he put his hand on his back - the slightest of touch, and he went down like he’d been hit with a steamroller!
It was an appalling decision - one of many throughout the game.
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I take it you’ve not seen the video, DBR?
He never held his shirt - he put his hand on his back - the slightest of touch, and he went down like he’d been hit with a steamroller!
It was an appalling decision - one of many throughout the game.
Yes I have.
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That game tonight especially first half reminded me so much of our first few months in the Championship. Playing higher rated teams off the park and scoring 0.
Hopefully it doesn’t take 5 months to start putting ball in the net this time.
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That game tonight especially first half reminded me so much of our first few months in the Championship. Playing higher rated teams off the park and scoring 0.
Hopefully it doesn’t take 5 months to start putting ball in the net this time.
I thought the same. The better team outdone by superior players in the end.
I think we lack a bit of pace and athleticism going forward but apart from that I think we’ve been impressive so far in L1
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Their better players ground it out in the second half. We were the better team first half but didn’t take the couple of good chances that were presented. Their centre halves were colossal.
It was more than a couple of good chances,
5 proper excellent chances we missed in the first half and at least one excellent chance in the second
There weren’t 5 excellent chances for us in the first half.
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Harness for them was quality, and the defender Billy had a nibble at could shift for a big unit. We played similar to last week for me , got a bit of luck against Middleborough and we didn't last night. Still bodes well with a bit of tinkering
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Again we played really well for a large part of the game, but couldn’t take advantage of some really good chances.
Early days but seems like some players are struggling to make any impact, Hanlan, Ajayi and Sabarra seem to struggle at this level.
Unfortunately as much as I love Sbarra',s endeavour & professionalism he's just not good enough squandered a guilt edge chance, we need better.
the lad touched the ball roughly 9 times in his hour on the pitch. It took Gotts 15 mins to match that output. He’s a passenger each and every time he plays.
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Again we played really well for a large part of the game, but couldn’t take advantage of some really good chances.
Early days but seems like some players are struggling to make any impact, Hanlan, Ajayi and Sabarra seem to struggle at this level.
Unfortunately as much as I love Sbarra',s endeavour & professionalism he's just not good enough squandered a guilt edge chance, we need better.
the lad touched the ball 9 times in his hour on the pitch. It took Gotts 15 mins to match that output. He’s a passenger each and every time he plays.
Where have you got 9 touches from?
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I sat and counted. Tell me I’m wrong
If I’m an odd one out either way, I did go for a slash, it’s nowhere near good enough.
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Their better players ground it out in the second half. We were the better team first half but didn’t take the couple of good chances that were presented. Their centre halves were colossal.
It was more than a couple of good chances,
5 proper excellent chances we missed in the first half and at least one excellent chance in the second
There weren’t 5 excellent chances for us in the first half.
There were!
Broadbent, sharp, sbarra, Middleton x 2
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I sat and counted. Tell me I’m wrong
If I’m an odd one out either way, I did go for a slash, it’s nowhere near good enough.
You’re wrong
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But he’s right that he’s not good enough!
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I take it you’ve not seen the video, DBR?
He never held his shirt - he put his hand on his back - the slightest of touch, and he went down like he’d been hit with a steamroller!
It was an appalling decision - one of many throughout the game.
Alan, if you're sure you didn't see the shirt pull then I suggest you get an early appointment with your optician.
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I sat and counted. Tell me I’m wrong
If I’m an odd one out either way, I did go for a slash, it’s nowhere near good enough.
You’re wrong
21 touches. 8 accurate passes. It was a truly awful performance within a largely good team performance, which makes it even worse.
The decision to play him was a woeful one as well. I like Sbarra and he had ability, he’s just not suited to the way we play.
We have a big squad and we need to make use of it but over the last two years we have been at our best when we have had a settled team. In the periods where Grant has changed shape and personnel for the opposition we have been worse. We need to tweak things tactically on a game by game basis, that’s football, it’s possible to over do it though.
For me there was no justification playing Bailey at RB last week and none for playing JS last night. Let’s just settle in to the league playing our best team. Sharp can’t play every week so we can rotate there. We have cup games coming up where we can rotate. Just settle things down a bit would be my advice.
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I take it you’ve not seen the video, DBR?
He never held his shirt - he put his hand on his back - the slightest of touch, and he went down like he’d been hit with a steamroller!
It was an appalling decision - one of many throughout the game.
Alan, if you're sure you didn't see the shirt pull then I suggest you get an early appointment with your optician.
The ref told GM he’d given the pen for a trip. Show me that, if you can.
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I sat and counted. Tell me I’m wrong
If I’m an odd one out either way, I did go for a slash, it’s nowhere near good enough.
You’re wrong
21 touches. 8 accurate passes. It was a truly awful performance within a largely good team performance, which makes it even worse.
The decision to play him was a woeful one as well. I like Sbarra and he had ability, he’s just not suited to the way we play.
We have a big squad and we need to make use of it but over the last two years we have been at our best when we have had a settled team. In the periods where Grant has changed shape and personnel for the opposition we have been worse. We need to tweak things tactically on a game by game basis, that’s football, it’s possible to over do it though.
For me there was no justification playing Bailey at RB last week and none for playing JS last night. Let’s just settle in to the league playing our best team. Sharp can’t play every week so we can rotate there. We have cup games coming up where we can rotate. Just settle things down a bit would be my advice.
21? Does that include the number whilst in his possession also?
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I take it you’ve not seen the video, DBR?
He never held his shirt - he put his hand on his back - the slightest of touch, and he went down like he’d been hit with a steamroller!
It was an appalling decision - one of many throughout the game.
Alan, if you're sure you didn't see the shirt pull then I suggest you get an early appointment with your optician.
The ref told GM he’d given the pen for a trip. Show me that, if you can.
There wasn't a trip but you can't say it was categorically not a penalty. It was a soft, maybe harsh call and hopefully, we'll benefit for some equally questionable calls which we'll justify after the event.
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Did anyone see their huge centre back trying to protect the ball and turning around and physically pushing Sbarra away at least 3 times as Sbarra tried to get a toe in.Absolute clear pushes one after the other in the chest, so if that’s not a foul then it’s no penalty.
And if he’s giving Pens for that then every corner should have been a free kick or a pelanty. Inconsistency is killing us.
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Huddersfield have all that money and can’t even get the right badge on the programme how rude
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At least Udders was the very first team to get thumped at the Keepmoat - unless I'm imagining things again..... They'll be remembered forever. As losers.
:):):)
BobG
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I’ve just remembered Billy’s flash of temper last night which earns him a booking. The big centre back had a nibble at him as the ball was going out of play and Billy “bit” and kicked out at him.
Of course the CB went down in agony, holding his leg but also sneakily looking at the ref to see what colour card he was pulling out.
It reminded me of the way Wimbledon got him sent off last season.
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He did put his leg across him but didn't make contact because their player was already going down because he was being pulled with a fist full of his shirt on his shoulder, a clear penalty unless holding is no longer a direct free kick by the laws of the game.
Yes a lot goes off that are ignored, in this case it wasn't and it could well have looked a trip from the referees angle as well.
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Give over Selby - that sort of thing goes at every corner and it’s totally ignored. Their guy was being manhandled and he went down in stages. It was a dive and you know it.
I wonder what your reaction would have been if it had been Faulkner defending?
I’d rather support Grant’s take on it, if you don’t mind.
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Yep I agree with you it happens all the time and shouldn't according to the laws of the game, and in this case it was given, leaving us with the only thing we could do, watch him take the penalty.
Grant can say what he wants, today the papers recorded a goal from a penalty I'm right and he is wrong, and our defender was mugged by a smart attacker.
Bobby by the way would have been too fast for him and got the ball.
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He wasn’t mugged, their lad dived. End of.
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It was never a pen I was sat right in line with it, the Huddersfield fans were all laughing and couldn’t believe he gave it.
One of the softest ones I’ve ever seen
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It was never a pen I was sat right in line with it, the Huddersfield fans were all laughing and couldn’t believe he gave it.
One of the softest ones I’ve ever seen
It was horribly soft. The ref will say he pulled his shirt (which he did) so there is no argument.
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The same referee gave us three direct free kicks during the game for very similar incidents when Molineux twice and Middleton were pulled back around the neck area.
it is creeping into the game more every season and is a ten minute sin bin offence at Rugby league brought in because it can cause serious injury to eyes if misplaced.
Did you think them three incidents were soft and laughed? anyway look at the result it says penalty scored. Both their goals were poor defending in what otherwise was a good team performance, it happens, and needs to be addressed and not cried over.
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I’d the shirt pulling was so bad the ref would’ve given it for that but he gave it for a trip which their player just manifested himself.
We defended excellently as we have all Season, may never had a kick. The Huddersfield fans I was sat near were raving about McGrath.
He is some player
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It was never a pen I was sat right in line with it, the Huddersfield fans were all laughing and couldn’t believe he gave it.
One of the softest ones I’ve ever seen
It was horribly soft. The ref will say he pulled his shirt (which he did) so there is no argument.
No, he told GM it was for the trip (which never occurred)
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https://terrierspirit.com/whining-mccann-why-we-struggled-how-we-won-and-rebranding-subs-notes-on-huddersfield-towns-win-over-doncaster-rovers/
I don’t think anyone has referenced this report which takes the Huddersfield perspective and includes some very complimentary analysis of Rovers’ performance.
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McCann is now reported to have talked to the ref - https://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1284505205?-12737%3A1601%3Ann_topic_top
and it seems the ref has reported that the penalty was for “persistently holding” which was visible.